Wagon-brake



(No Model.)v

L. S.- WHEELER.

WAGGN BRAKE. No. 553,085. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

LAUREN S S. TWIlELElt, OF TYRO, KANSAS.

WAGON-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,085, dated January14, 1896.

Application filed May 1l, 1895. Serial No. 548,947. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, LAUREN s S. .VHEELER, of Tyre, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements .in Wagon-Brakes, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements invehicle-brakes, and especially t-hat class of brakes designed foremployment on heavy vehicles-such as farmwagcns, trucks, and thelike-where it is desirable to secure the greatest possible pressureupon. the wheels; and the object of the invention is to provide a brakeof this character of a simple, inexpensive, and efficient nature.

The invention comprises an arrangement of levers and rods at each sideof the vehicle connected with the brakeshoes arranged in position-tobear against the wheels and adapted to be operated by a brake-lever, thearrangement of said levers and rods being such that a wedging action isexerted upon the brake-shoes to force the same against the wheels with avery considerable force when the brake-lever is moved a very slightdistance, and when said lever is disengaged from its guard the parts areso arranged and constructed as to be moved by the strain exerted insetting the brakes to their original positions, with the brake-shoes outof contact with the wheels.

The invention also contemplates certain novel features of constructionwhereby certain advantages are obtained, all as will be hereinafterfully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully deiined in theclaims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation representing a portion of the wagon-bedwith my improved brake mechanism applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a planview of the brake mechanism, the wagon-bed being removed.

ln the drawings, 1 represents the bed of the wagon, which may be of anypreferred construction, and 2 represents flat plates bolted or otherwisesecured to the sides thereof and provided with threaded shanks 3extending below the bed into engagement with the crossbars 5, saidshanks being provided at their lower ends with nuts 4, as clearly seenin Fig. l. Two of the cross-bars 5 are shown in the drawings, and to theunder sides of these are secured longitudinal beams 6, of flattenedform, located at opposite ends of the beams 5, adjacent to oppositesides of the bed of the wagon, and at their central parts these beams 6are provided with upturned brackets 6"L and adapted to receive thethreaded shanks 3 of the intermediate plates 2 secured to the sideboardsof the wagon. To the under side of each of the respective beams 6 issecured a bracket-plate 7, the ends of which are bent upwardly andbolted to said beam, so as to form a longitudinal guideway S below thebeam G, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, and in the guideways 8 thusformed at opposite sides of the bed is arranged to slide or roll atransverse tie-bar 9, of circular cross-section, having squared ends 10,Whereon are secured crossheads or elbow-levers 11, each of which ispivotally connected at one end to the rear end of a link 12, the forwardend 13 of which is bifurcated and provided with a series of l apertures14, adapted to receive a pivot-bolt 15 secured to a depending flange 16,formed upon the forward end of the beam 6 at that side of the bed, asclearly indicated in Fig. 1.

The rear end of each of the cross-heads 11 is pivotally connected withthe forward end of the connecting-rod 17, the rear end 18 of which isbent upwardly and perforated, as in dicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1,to receive the eye 19 of an eyebolt 20, extending through a perforationformed in one end of the transverse brake-beam 21, said boltbeingprovided with a nut 2OfL at its forward end, and having coiled upon it aspring 22 arranged between said nut and the front face of the brake-beam21. The opposite ends of the brake-beam 21 carry brake-shoes 23 adaptedto engage the tire of the wheel 00. (Indicated in dotted lines in thedrawings.)

At its central portion the cross-head 11 at one side of the bed isprovided with an upwardly-extending arm 24, the upper end of which isprovided with one or more perforations 25 adapted to receive the bentend of a link 26, the forward end of which is pivotally connected to thebrake-lever 27 pivoted at 2S to the side-board of the wagon-bed andarranged to move in suitable guides 29, as clearly indicated in Fig. l.In operation, when the IOO brake-lever 27 is moved forward, as indicatedby the arrow in Fig. l, the cross-head l1 is moved on its pivot-point,the connection of the forward end thereof with the link l2 serving tomove the tie-bar 9 rearwardly in guides 8 at opposite sides of thewagon, and this, together with the movement of the rear end of saidcross-head, serves to move the connecting-rod 17 rearwardly so as toforce the brakeshoes 23 into contact with the wheel-tires under anelastic pressure caused by the interposition of the springs 22.

When the brake-lever 27 has been released the tension of the spring 22will react on 'the several parts of the mechanism, so as to return thesame to their normal positions, as shown in Fig. l,rthereby carrying thebrake shoes 23 out of engagement with the wheeltires, without any otheraction on the part of the driver than that of releasing the brakelever27 from its guard.

From the above description it will be understood that the brakemechanism, constructed as herein described and shown, is of an ,extremely simple and inexpensive nature, is not liable to become deranged orbroken, and with the minimum extent of movement of the brakedeverimparts a maximum pressure and movement to the brake-shoes when the sameare to be pressed in contact with the wheels. The arrangement of thesprings 22 between the eyebolts and the brake-beam secures an elasticpressure of the brakeshoes upon the wheels, so that these parts are notliable to become broken, as would be the case were the connection rigid.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. In a wagon brake, the combination of a pivoted elbowlever, means for rocking the same, a brake beam having a shoe adapted tobear on the Wheel, a connecting` rod coupled at one end to the elbowlever, and an elastic connection between the other end of saidconnecting rod and the brake beam, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wagon brake the combination of the pivoted elbow lever, meansfor rocking the same, a brake beam having a shoe arranged to bear on thewheel, a connecting rod coupled at one end to the elbow lever, a boltcoupled to the other end of the connecting rod, and a spring connectingthe bolt with the brake beam, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wagon brake, the combination of an elbow lever having its pivotpin mounted to slide on a horizontal plane in a guide on the wagon bed,means for rocking said lever, a link connected at one end to the bed andat the other end to yone arm of the elbow lever. a brake beam having ashoe arranged to bear on the wheel, and a connection between said brakebeam and the elbowlever, substantially as set forth.

e. In a wagon brake, the combination of an elbow lever having its pivotpin mounted re slide in guides on the wagon bed, means for rocking saidlever, a link connected at one end to the bed and at the other end toone arm of said elbowlever, a brake beam having a shoe arranged to bearon the wheel, andan elastic connection between the brake beam and theelbow lever, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In awagon brake, the combination of an elbow lever having its pivotpin mounted to slide in guides on a frame attached to thc wagon bed,means for rocking said lever, a link connected at one end to the wagonbed and at the other end to one arm of said elbow lever, a brake beamadapted to slide on a horizontal plane on the frame and having a shoearranged to bear on the wheel, and a connecting rod coupled at one endto the other arm of the elbow lever and at its opposite end having anelastic connection with the said brake beam, substantially as set forth.

G. In awagon brake, the combination of an elbow lever having its pivotpin mounted to slide in guides on the wagon bed, means for rocking saidlever, a link connected at one end to the bed and at the other end toone arm of the elbow lever, a brake beam having a shoe arranged to bearon the wheel, a connecting rod coupled at one end to the other arm ofsaid elbow lever, a bolt connected with the opposite end of saidconnecting rod, and an elastic connection between the bolt and the brakebeam, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a wagon brake, of a frame, side bars mounted atopposite sides thereof and having longitudinal guideways aligned witheach other, a tie rod arranged to playin said guideways, elbow leversmounted on opposite ends of said tie bar, a brake lever connected withone arm of one of said elbow levers, a link connected at one end t0 thewagon bed and at the other end with one arm of one of said elbow levers,a brake beam movable longitudinally of the frame and provided with shoesarranged to bear on the wheel, and links yieldingly connecting therespective opposite ends of the brake beam with the elbow levers,substantially as set forth.

LAURENS S. VIIEELER.

IVitnesses D. C. JoNEs, R. J. HARDING.

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